Five Apps: Free Apache servers for Windows

Five free Windows Apache servers

Apache is one of the most powerful and flexible web servers
available. Most people assume Apache is only for the UNIX/Linux/BSD environment
- which is a false assumption. Thanks to countless developers, Apache is also
available for the Windows platform in the form of WAMP (Windows Apache, MySQL,
PHP). Of course, if you've used Apache on its native platform, you know that,
to the uninitiated, it can be a little daunting to install and set up. For most
UNIX/Linux/BSD admins - those used to working within the command line, it's a
piece of cake. Windows users? Not so much. Thankfully there are a number of
different WAMP servers out there that make the process of installing and
configuring the Apache server a snap.

I have found five such WAMP servers, all of them free. Each
offers a varying degree of difficulty as well as feature sets. But all of them
will enable you to get a WAMP server up and running quickly. Once that server
is running, you can begin the process of creating your content.

Credit: Images by Jack
Wallen for TechRepublic

This
gallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.

WAMP Server 1

Five Apps

1. WAMP Server

WAMP Server is an outstanding choice
for those looking for a solid Apache server on a Windows desktop. This
particular take on the WAMP server offers a great user interface for quick
access to: WWW directory, Apache configurations, PHP configurations, MySQL
configurations, quick start/stop for all services. WAMP Server also offers
plenty of Apache, PHP, and MySQL add-ons to further extend your server. With
the inclusion of PhpMyAdmin, you can easily manage your MySQL databases connected
to the Apache server. This means you can install third-party software like WordPress, Drupal, Xoops,
and Joomla.

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WAMP Server 2

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Secure WAMP 1

2. Secure WAMP

Secure WAMP is another take on the WAMP
server that can have you up and running in minutes. With this server you'll get
the usual tools, plus the Mercury Mail server and (as loadable add-ins) Python
and Perl. One unique feature to Secure WAMP is the ability to easily choose
between development and production settings. Secure WAMP has a centralized
control panel where all services can be controlled. With the help of a 1-click
installer, you can add quickly install applications like phpBB, WordPress, and
more.

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Wallen for TechRepublic

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gallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.

Secure WAMP 2

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Wallen for TechRepublic

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EasyPHP 1

3. EasyPHP

EasyPHP is one of the
more powerful WAMP servers available. With an admin module that offers tools
like: Backup, bandwidth Throttle, DNS Admin, permission Manager, PHPInfo,
phpSysInfo, user shadowing, updates, cron Manager, password protected
directories, metatag generator, and more - EasyPHP makes for a highly
configurable web server. Database management is handled by PhpMyAdmin and you
can set up FTP accounts (with FTP Jailing), manage domains, and much more. If
you're looking for ease of use along with power and flexibility, EasyPHP is the
WAMP you want.

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Wallen for TechRepublic

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gallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.

EasyPHP 2

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Wallen for TechRepublic

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UwAMP 1

4. UwAMP

UwAMP is unique in that you can either
install the server or run it as a portable application (in U3 Mode). This means
you can carry a powerful development server with you, everywhere you go. Like
the other entries here, UwAMP offers an easy to use interface as well as:
Multi-PHP versions and CPU monitoring (real time Apache and MySQL monitoring).
From the single-window control panel you can get an at-a-glance status update
of the server as well as quick access to all of the configuration folders.

Credit: Images by Jack
Wallen for TechRepublic

This
gallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.

UwAMP 2

Credit: Images by Jack
Wallen for TechRepublic

This
gallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.

Uniform Server 1

5. Uniform Server

Uniform Server
is a lightweight version of the Apache server (coming in at under 10MB).
Uniform Server offers the full Apache server as well as a PHP mini server. The
PHP mini server offers a graphical interface for the built-in PHP web server.
Features of Uniform Server include: High security, portable version, quick
access to all server settings, full host of logs, Perl scripting, and more.
This is another great solution for anyone that wants to carry around a full
Apache server on a USB drive. When you unpack Uniform Server, you will find two
different executables: One to start Uniform as a program and one to start
Uniform as a service. To run as a portable version, simply double-click the "run
as program" file and you're good to go.

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Wallen for TechRepublic

This
gallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.

Uniform Server 2

Bottom line

There
are so many reasons why Apache is one of the most used web servers on the
planet. Not only is it incredibly powerful and flexible, it's also a
cross-platform server that can be used on nearly any operating system. Give one
of these WAMP servers a try and see if you're not serving up web content from
your Windows machine with little to no fuss.

Five free Windows Apache servers

Apache is one of the most powerful and flexible web servers
available. Most people assume Apache is only for the UNIX/Linux/BSD environment
- which is a false assumption. Thanks to countless developers, Apache is also
available for the Windows platform in the form of WAMP (Windows Apache, MySQL,
PHP). Of course, if you've used Apache on its native platform, you know that,
to the uninitiated, it can be a little daunting to install and set up. For most
UNIX/Linux/BSD admins - those used to working within the command line, it's a
piece of cake. Windows users? Not so much. Thankfully there are a number of
different WAMP servers out there that make the process of installing and
configuring the Apache server a snap.

I have found five such WAMP servers, all of them free. Each
offers a varying degree of difficulty as well as feature sets. But all of them
will enable you to get a WAMP server up and running quickly. Once that server
is running, you can begin the process of creating your content.

Credit: Images by Jack
Wallen for TechRepublic

This
gallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.

About Jack Wallen

Jack Wallen is an award-winning writer for TechRepublic and Linux.com. He’s an avid promoter of open source and the voice of The Android Expert. For more news about Jack Wallen, visit his website jackwallen.com.

Full Bio

Jack Wallen is an award-winning writer for TechRepublic and Linux.com. He’s an avid promoter of open source and the voice of The Android Expert. For more news about Jack Wallen, visit his website jackwallen.com.